About Phil

Introducing Phil Vanderveen (click here for pdf bio)

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What’s Out Of the Mire Music?

It’s not just the label under which I write and record music –  it’s also my name.  Loosely translating  Van Der Veen from the Dutch means “Out of the Mire”.  Literally, it’s”From The Veen” (pronounced ‘fayne’).  What’s “Veen”?  Well, it’s not impressive.  Veen is essentially bog – reedy, weedy swamp.  Mud and mire.  Veen is so useless for farming that in the old days, the best thing the Dutch could do with it (always resourceful and thrifty I guess!) was collect  it, pack it into brick shapes, and use it as fuel for fire.
My name is a constant reminder that I come from humble circumstances.  Even my Mom’s maiden name, Rauwerda, means ‘raw earth’ – same thing!
Ok.  So it’s not a great name like Knight or King or something honorable.  I grant you that.  But spiritually speaking, it is a name that points to grace.  How? Psalm 40 says how in a few of my favourite verses: “I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me OUT OF THE MUD AND THE MIRE.  He set my feet on a rock, a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to God.  Many will see and be amazed at what he has done, and put their trust in Him”.
Personally, there came a time in my life when I realized I was incapable of fixing all the errors of my ways.  I was stuck in the ‘veen’.   But then Psalm 40 happened to me.  I got rescued by Jesus (and he keeps rescuing me by the way, even from myself) and so I love to sing about how he lifted me from out of the mire.